The Emotional Bank Account

An emotional bank account is a metaphor that describes the amount of trust that's been built up in a relationship. Our most constant relationships, like marriage, require our most constant deposits with continuing expectations. If a large reserve of trust is not sustained by continuing deposits, a marriage will deteriorate. The fight or flight response creates verbal battles, slammed doors, refusal to talk, emotional withdrawal and self pity. We can either break ourselves against it, or use it as a guiding light.